I recently purchased a tin of amchur (or mango pwder) at the fabulous Jean Talon market in Montreal. This is an Indian spice that has a faint citrus-y taste. I used it to make spiced almonds at Christmas but am looking for some other uses. Any suggestions?

Joined: 18 Oct 2004Posts: 1654Location: Within view of Elliot Bay, The Olympics and every ship in the Sound

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject:

I have been trying to find uses for it myself. I bought it because I have a chai recipe it is in, but really how much chai can one eat?
Just toss together a blend of whole spices cinnamon, clove, pepper, ginger, allspice, cardamom, anise and a bit of the amchur, mix it with loose tea and brew away! It can either be steeped in water or milk, it doesn't matter.
I hope you discover more recipes than I did, and then share!_________________"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

I've never even heard of it. But (what the hell!) it sounds enticing and exotic and I've never shrunk from sticking my (dopey) neck out where it doesn't belong....

How about adding it to a risotto-style rice pudding? I think I'd line up to get a taste of that. _________________God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor

Joined: 18 Oct 2004Posts: 1654Location: Within view of Elliot Bay, The Olympics and every ship in the Sound

Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject:

That's a good idea, maybe even a breakfast risotto. Amchur is also written as amchoor, I found it in my favorite spice shop in Seattle, Souk. I think I have seen it on Kalustyans web site as well. I only heard about it through research on Indian and Pakistani cuisine._________________"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

Let me know if you find any other uses. I will also ask the Indian girls at the club and see what they say about it.

www.theepicentre.com_________________If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

Hmmm, have to agree there... have to lose some weight and being so cold I crave heavy hearty creamy cheesy..... you get the picture....

I do find that the girls at the club are both very slim and they only cook and eat Indian food. Must get some recipies from them! Their cooking is so delicious that you eat way too much, but they always make a special tea for after which aids in digestion. Know it has cardomom and ginger in it and they just pour boiling water of these and leave to steep, but not sure of the quantities.

Will email them and ask for some advice and post it here when they reply._________________If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

According to my trusty Madhur Jaffrey cookbook, Amchur/Amchoor is used in North India "as freely as lemon is in American cooking." Maybe make amchoor-ade?? Ok, that might not be such a great idea. Here's a recipe for moghlai chickpeas: http://www.cooking.com/recipes/static/recipe4854.htm_________________I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells.

What about putting it into breadcrumbs and making a breaded chicken cutlet with it? You could then make a mango chutney to go with that. I love all fruity accompaniments to mains and sides - not just desserts._________________Thank you,
Ellie

I recently purchased a tin of amchur (or mango pwder) at the fabulous Jean Talon market in Montreal. This is an Indian spice that has a faint citrus-y taste. I used it to make spiced almonds at Christmas but am looking for some other uses. Any suggestions?

Well you could use it in your own curry-like spice blend.

I have a recipe for Ceylon curry powder which you could add a quantity of amchur to in order to change the flavour and make it more fruity.

I'd guess you'd probably aim for somewhere around 1 to 2 Tablespoons of Amchur (depending on how strong it is - smell it and see, and always add less to start with, it's easy to add more, impossible to remove some).

You could also use it to flavour yoghurt as a dressing for Indian style curries, or as a marinade for chicken to do Tandoori style.

It might even work in a cheesecake (although I tend to use fresh mangoes for that).

I use this occasionally in stews and casseroles to bring in a rounded rather than picuant high note, providing a gentle tanginess that isnt sour; it blends well with a variety of pod spices and roots. It tastes quite warm despite coming from what is considered a very cooling fruit. Similar to dried lime, it combines well with the rich meat dishes too, helping to balance out their deep rich lower notes. Nice spice, thanks for reminding me--I'll use it tomorrow--in a sweet potato mash or late winter /early spring thick soup, maybe some red lentil, carrot or swt pot, onion, cumin, coconut, mango powder...something, along those lines. mmm
Cheers all!
Alexsandra

sounds fantastically disgusting!! One of those things that you buy for the heck of it
I can't think of one reason why you would use it unless you were doing a mountain climb for a fews months including summer (from where-ever you were). It is, I suspect,one of those things-spices; tins;jars;packets- that you have when you cannot get the real thing. But-as the slow movement suggests- why want to eat powdered mango in winter when you can wait untill summer and have the real deal??
But for those occasions where reason and vaules and or circumstance leave us bereft, I can think of using it for everything from sprinkled atop a milk drink to rolling it into a dough or pancake;to blending it with coriander powder and lime leaves with a splash of coconut milk powder and mock chicken stock cube- to trying it a tin of tomatoes and bacon.
What is cooking if it is not making do with what you've got when you've got it???? Unless you have it all, all the time and then it becomes fuss-ier....or let's say more dedicated and passionate.
In summary- it has no appeal to me but now you have it and have put it in my mind I must find it and try it. Let's see...Bottom line- always good to be inspired- or is that imbibed???!!
Thanks Jan_________________truth, like gold, is not the less so for being newly brought out of the mine.

Amchur as mentioned above is a "sour", dried green mango that can be used where lemon, lime or tamarind or any other sour maybe used. I worked for a spice company for 4 years. Consider it on potatoes instead of sour cream or on French fries._________________Let's face facts, money makes the world go round but everyone has to eat.